Global round-up: Google to launch new publishing tool

Google is set to launch a tool to help users save time on the web, enabling online news articles to load within milliseconds.

The New York Times reports the tool will “cull articles from cached versions on search”, rather than hosting them on its server. It will bear resemblance to Facebook’s Instant Articles.

Google will hold a press conference in New York next week to discuss the tool.

Research shows millennials consume news differently

News publishers looking to reach millennials will need to rethink their strategy to address the different news habits within the group.

According to a recent report by the Media Insight Project, the news habits of millennials can be divided into four categories: unattached, explorers, distracted, and activists.

Younger millennials, aged between 18 and 24, are “unattached”, with minimal exposure to the news, or “explorers” who keep themselves updated with the news.

“One clear implication is that the youngest Millennials, those we call Unattached and those we call Explorers, are hardly newsless. Their habits are still forming. And how publishers try to reach them should vary,” the report said.

Older millennials aged between 25 and 34 are “distracted”. They have families and are less active in seeking out news. “Activists” also have families but read more news.

The Media Insight Project is a collaboration between The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the American Press Institute.

New Media acquires 190-year old afternoon daily

US publisher New Media Investment Group Inc has acquired the Monroe Publishing Co.

Steve Gray, chairman of the MPC board of directors, believes New Media will help The Monroe News to continue serving the Monroe County community.

“The changing media environment has been very tough on single, stand-alone newspaper companies like us,” he said on the paper’s website.

“Despite the team’s best efforts, it became clear that our employee shareholders needed to be able to diversify their holdings.”

New Media has 126 daily publications, and is one of the largest publishers in the United States that produces local print and online media.